Child Protection Policy

1. Coast Academy of Music is committed to child protection and child safe environments. Our policy guides workers on how to behave when interacting and engaging with children in our organisation. The policy focuses on how we can build and maintain a Child Safe Environment which is inclusive, transparent and promotes children’s participation. 

2. Coast Academy of Music supports the active participation of children in the programs, activities and services that we offer. 

3. All staff employed by Coast Academy of Music are responsible for the care, safety and protection of children. This responsibility extends to the identification and timely response to concerns regarding the possible sexual, physical, psychological and emotional abuse or neglect of a child. 

4. Children are not to use their personal electronic devices during their lessons nor are they permitted to use them at our Holiday programs. All of Coast Academy of Music’s computers have content filtering to protect children. 

5. Coast Academy of Music will recruit and keep the best people to work with children. We will maintain a rigorous and consistent recruitment, screening and selection process. We will achieve this standard through interviews, reference checks, professional development and the Working With Children Check. We promote respect, fairness and consideration for all workers. All employees will receive and sign a copy of our Code of Conduct. 

6. Child safety is a standing agenda item at meetings and workers are encouraged to ask questions and contribute to the continuous improvement of Child Safe policies, procedures and practices in the workplace. 

7. Coast Academy of Music has a commitment to positive messages about women and the safety of children and how this is reflected in the music chosen for the children. 

8. Children and their parents are encouraged to provide feedback or raise concerns. We listen to their views, respect what they say and involve them when we make decisions. Any person with direct responsibility for children must report children at risk of significant harm. 

9. All complaints and allegations must be reported to our Child Safety Contact Officer, Thomas Brett. Documented reporting and escalation procedures will be established by Coast Academy of Music for handling allegations of abuse. If there are reasonable grounds to suspect a child has been or is suffering abuse a report will be lodged to the relevant bodies.

10. Coast Academy of Music’s policy and guidelines will be reviewed every two years to incorporate comments and suggestions from workers, children and families.